Update on Ngāpuhi Treaty Settlement

The Māori select committee has been given an update on the status of a potential treaty settlement for Ngāpuhi, as executives from Te Arawhiti – the Office for Māori Crown Relations – appeared before the committee for their 2023/24 annual review.

Organisation’s Annual Review and Scrutiny Week

The Te Arawhiti delegation’s appearances came the day after the select committee was told of plans to slim down the organisation and transfer some of its functions and workforce to Te Puni Kōkiri, the Ministry for Maori Development.

Progress on Ngāpuhi Settlement

Answering questions on what progress had been made getting a mandate for settlement in the North, regional director Fern Hyett said up until 2019 the Crown had continued to recognise the Tuhoronuku mandate – one mandate for all of Ngāpuhi – which was rejected by hāpu.

“We have Ngāti Hine, Whangaroa and a grouping in the Bay of Islands – Te Whakaitanga,” Hyett said. “Other groups were doing some work but were not at the same point in the mandate process.”

Key Facts and Figures

Hyett also revealed that the cost of the work undertaken to achieve a mandate for Ngāpuhi, including Tuhoronuku, was around $12 million.

“That’s where we want to have that conversation,” Hyett said. “There are some groups who have been equally clear that they require the Crown to accept that before they will commence mandate work and that’s their prerogative to do so.”

Challenges in Reconciling with Ngāpuhi Groups

Both Labour’s Peeni Henare and the Green Party’s Steve Abel asked how the Crown would reconcile seeking a mandate with groups who the Crown has acknowledged did not cede sovereignty.

“How can we meaningfully reconcile challenges of Te Tiriti breaches if we are not in our maturity as a Crown, able to acknowledge that Māori never ceded sovereignty on a hāpu level and a country-wide level?” Abel said.

Conclusion

The Ngāpuhi treaty settlement is a complex issue with many stakeholders involved. While progress has been made, challenges remain in reconciling with groups who have not ceded sovereignty. As the negotiations continue, it will be essential to engage in open and honest dialogue with all parties involved.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.